Two of Jamaica's young political leaders Pearnel Charles Jr and Damion Crawford are now in Europe participating in the prestigious European Union Visitors Programme, which gives participants first-hand information and experiences on the EU's values, functioning, activities, policies and perspectives.

Senator Charles Jr, a member of the governing Jamaica Labour Party, is Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

Crawford, also a senator, is a vice-president of the parliamentary Opposition People's National Party and is its spokesman on Youth and Culture.

The two will be in Europe for nine days (January 14 - January 23, 2019) – first in Brussels, Belgium where the EU is headquartered, and then in Strasbourg, France, the seat of the EU Parliament.

"The programme will provide valuable opportunities to interact with and influence EU officials, deepen understanding of the operation of the EU while exploring pathways for strengthened partnership between the EU and Jamaica," Charles Jr shared from Brussels.

For Crawford, the programme, so far, has been "eye-opening particularly all the back office activities that go into making cooperation between nations work."

Head of Delegation of the European Union in Jamaica, Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska, said the programme helps to improve understanding of the EU among professionals from different backgrounds and build bridges between partner countries and the EU.

"Senator Charles Jr and Mr Crawford are emerging political leaders whose influence on Jamaican politics will continue to grow. Deepening the relationship with Jamaica also means building the linkages with Jamaican leaders and strengthening our exchanges and ultimately our shared understanding," she said.

The programme helps strengthen long-term bilateral relations between the EU and participating countries.